Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1887-07-15
soldiers early in enc morning crossing the

divide, and noted carefully that the white
men divided themselves into three divis-
ions. When Clusters command swept OIL
to the right they lost sight of that force
temporarily, keeping their eyes on Reno,
who came directly down TO the river seek
ing a ford 10 cross over and fight Reno
did cross over, paused minute To rest and
| tighten girths, remounted all his men, ana
rode up alongside of some ash timber a
mile and half. when he suddenly came
in sight of the village When the soldiers
saw all these Indians the bugles sounded
charge" the soldiers came rushing like
the wind upon their women and children,
killing many of them, but the braves rail-
lied I'm great force, turned on the troopers,
and chased them back TO the river, into
which everybody tumbled and scrambled
up To the top of steep hill opposite.
When they had Reno on the hill the bucks
in great numbers tried TO drive him of;
but, not succeeding, the women, old men
and some bucks were left TO guard them
while the others re-crosscd the stream and
hurried down to the other end of the viii
lage, where the cry had been raised that
more soldiers were coming. OF course this
was Clusters outfit. and We have no tale of
that terrible affair except what the Indians
tell US.
From all that can be gathered, ii seems
that Custer must have come down as far
as the river with his troopers although
Gall says he never got to within half a
mile of the stream; but the footprints of
the cavalry horses led in broad and we'll
defined trail clear down to the river, not
withstandng Call statement TO the con-
trary. When asked how these footprints
came on the bank, the chief explained
that they were made by white soldiers on
horseback who had attempted to escape
from the field by going down rayine and
then crossing the river. These were met
by some bucks on the other side, who
turned them up stream again, and. after
racing parallel with the river for nearly
! three-Quarters of mile, were finally
crowded into the water. and then re-crossed
the river once more. They came out just
where all the cavalry tracks appeared,
were finally caught and Knocked on the
| head with some stone clubs. This chief,
who was undoubtedly the leader Of the
red forces on that day, further says that
only forty-thrce Indians were killed in all,
although a great many afterwards fell
over and died. " This seems "A very small
percentage OF casualties among the red
men, when il is considered that 204 white
bodies were found on the field, although
more than 240 men yielded up their lives
on Clusters field, not counting the killed
and wounded of Reno's and Benteens'
commands. History Las been corrected
somewhat since that dark and bloody page
was recorded. and not he least important
is that The Indians out-numbered fully five
10 one all the white men in the country,
including the different commands OF Gus
ter, Benteen and Reno. a well as Gen.
Terry'S and Gen. GibbOn 5 commands,
then AT tie forks of the two Horn rivers,
on the way up to effect junction with
the Seventh cavalry
Another correction should be Il ade in
the case Of Gen. Custer himself. He did
not wear long, golden hair, as ha, been
generally supposed, but had it clipped
short before ne left his post TO take the
field. He was also scalped, like all the
rest, but he, being slightly bald on the
crown of his head, a scalp-l0ck was cut
from further back.
After all had been slain the bucks gal
loped around over the field, popping bull
lets and arrows into the corses. while the
bloOdthirst sluaws completed an already
too horrible picture by pounding the heads
of the poor fellows with their stone clubs.
1t was a sal and mournful duty for the
surviving moiety OF the gallant Seventh
cavalry 10 perform the last rites for their
slain comrades, but they did il with ten
derness and care. covering each where lie
fell wi h mound of earth. and erecting
at his head stake and pile of stones to
mark the spot when the elements should
have washed away the earth. The Custer
battlefield is to-day one vast cemetery,
neglected and almost forgotten. except by
the few who have relatives and friends
sleeping among those barren rocks in this
PARKWAY. uninhabited country. The little
stakes and piles of stones are = e, TO be
seen. but they give a desolate look 20 the
field. and the monument itself is in the
first stages of decay. II has been sur
rounded 10y high iron railing, to protect
it from yandals and relic-hunters. but all
the iron ratings in the world cannot save
it from the storms and the winds which i'm
this high and dry climate are destroying
the shaft slowly but surely.
OF to the left of the monument ami at
the end of the ridge which formed the ba-
81, of the skirmish line of which CaIh0un'S
company was the left, Is simple marble
headstone, at the base of which was buried
brave Lieut.. Crittenden.
This gallant young officer volunteered
his services for the expedition but was
cut down in The flower of his youth before
life had fairly begun for him. \ loving
father, aged in years, and patriotic too,
would not permit the removal of his son
remains, and lie was buried where he fell.
over on Reno hill there are numerous evil
dences still left of the desperate struggle
for existence made by the pale faces
against their savage foes. Shells may be
picked up almost anywhere animal bones
lie scattered here and there, the rifle ri
still preserve their formation and the line
of skirmish works, where each captain
held at bay the savage hordes. is plainly
marked. Between the slope of two hills
was the hospital where DR.. Porter had his
hands full from the time they were cOoped
up until relieved by Terry. The animals
were collected I'm this spot and the hollow
Is. at the present writing, covered with
the bones of horses and mules that never
got out of the trap alive.
To stand on any one o. the elevated
points and survey the surrounding coun-